Homeless man investigated in killings

A 29-year-old homeless man who was charged with killing a man for his tennis shoes may be linked to the deaths of at least six other homeless men since 1987, Baltimore police said yesterday.

Alvin Lewis Milan was arrested Monday at the Helping Up Mission in the 1000 block of East Baltimore Street and charged with first-degree murder, said Detective Kevin J. Davis of the homicide unit.

His arrest came after police received information linking him to the slaying of Kenneth Maurice Smith, 25, who was found bludgeoned to death Sept. 29, 1989, in a parking garage in the 300 block of West Franklin Street.

Mr. Smith's tennis shoes had been taken, Detective Davis said.

Police described Mr. Smith as a quasi-street person, who worked in various labor pools and sometimes lived on on the street despite having relatives in the city.

Police said Mr. Milan is a "hard-core" street person who roamed the city.

After his arrest, police said, they began pulling files on at least six other unsolved slayings involving homeless men in Baltimore since 1987. Several of the murder victims had been sexually assaulted, according to police.

Police said there were similarities in the slayings, but they declined to elaborate.

Detectives said they intend to conduct blood and hair tests and possible DNA tests to determine if the suspect is linked to any of the slayings.